Monday, 29 August 2011

A Big “Eyed” Caterpillar

I thought this odd looking caterpillar was fascinating. I hope you all agree with me.

Its two huge “eyes” on each side of the body are quite scary.

This strange looking caterpillar is the larva of the Fruit-Piercing Moth, which is a serious pest in Asia. It normally rests on the underside of leaves to avoid being spotted by predators. If a threat occurs (in this case, maybe the presence of my camera), it reacts by lifting its tail and arching up its front segments.

In this way, it can fully expose its big false eyes and threaten potential enemies.